On the 28th I made Ben Gumso a present of four yards of blue, and the same quantity of scarlet damask, an unwritten journal-book, two pairs of scissors, and two knives: with these articles I endeavoured to get into the good graces of this old Arab. By a singular piece of good fortune he had just begun to exercise a powerful influence over the mind and opinions of the sultan. Bello, in an excursion into the Gooberite country, had come to an engagement with a large party of the natives; and in the midst of the fight was shot in the neck with a poisoned arrow, which turned the tide of victory in favour of his enemies. On his return to Soccatoo, Ben Gumso wrote a charm on a bit of wood, which was washed off into a calabash of water, and drank immediately by the sultan; who, shortly after recovering, attributed it solely to the virtues of this charm, and he was advanced accordingly. I begged Ben Gumso to use his influence with the sultan to obtain leave for my departure from his capital, and make the best of my way homewards. He accordingly represented to Bello the impolicy and injustice of detaining any longer a subject of the king of England; advised him to allow me to quit Soccatoo as soon as possible; and insinuated that, if I were to die in his dominions, a report would be circulated and believed that he had murdered both my father and me, by which he would get a bad name. The sultan approved of these weighty arguments of Ben Gumso; and word was sent me, almost immediately, to appear before him. After a little preliminary conversation, Bello asked me which route I should prefer. Although my master had advised me to proceed with the Arabs to Fezzan, just before his death, I much feared that the papers intrusted to my care would be stolen, and myself murdered, by that wily and treacherous race, whose behaviour to my master, from the time of his arrival in Houssa, I very much disliked; and would rather cast myself, unarmed and unprotected, upon the good faith of the natives, than go with them. Under these impressions I answered the sultan that, as I wished to get to England in as short a time as possible, the route to Kubbi, through Boussa, was most likely to answer that end. “It is impossible,” he continued, “to travel that way: the rainy season is commenced; the rivers are overflowed; the country is inundated; and you will not be able to reach the sea-coast in safety. It will be much better for you to go over the desert; and, to facilitate your progress, I will write Hat Sallah to get a trustworthy person to accompany you; he will also furnish you with camels and provisions, and advance you what money it is likely you will want.” I only replied, “Very well, sultan.” He then asked if Abdullah had forgiven Pascoe in his book, for the roguery he had committed. I said, “He had not been able to write during the whole of his sickness; and therefore nothing was stated about the matter.”—“If Abdullah has not pardoned